Looking back on my high school experiences now, I realize that I did learn more than I thought. I not only learned the course material for my classes, but also materials that I could not learn in the classroom setting. I gained relationships and experiences that I never thought possible. It was these things that made my high school experience all the more special.
Since my freshman year in high school, I had my eye on the future. I was told for years, the importance of doing well in school. During high school, I wanted to do whatever I could so that I could get into the honors and AP classes. I started this right off the bat. Freshman year, I went into a science class, which would last for four years. The way the class worked was that a small number of students would meet with the teacher once every two weeks to discuss their own personal research. Everyone had a different interest. Mine, was the effect of earthquakes on nuclear power plants. I was in this class for two years, before, I learned a very important lesson. I realized, that I did not actually enjoy the class. I had lost my interest in a topic that I picked. I found that, I might not have been interested in the class in the first place. I was interested in the benefits of being in the class. It was then that I decided that from that point forward, I would choose things that I really had an interest in.
I have always been a hard working student. I would put my heart and soul not only into my schoolwork, but also whatever other activities I took part in. During my high school years, I took part in many different extracurricular activities. One club in particular that I was involved in was, student government. This was a club that I was very invested in. I went to almost all of the meetings, and really enjoyed being a part of something. Going into senior year, I decided to run for secretary. This was a great experience for me because it gave me an opportunity to come out of my comfort zone and do something I never thought I would. Another extracurricular activity that really impacted me was an internship I did at the end of my senior year. Although this was technically part of a class that I got credit for, I had to spend a lot of my out of school time working. I got the opportunity to work with a class of second grade students in one of the elementary schools in my district. It was through this experience that I realized that teaching is something I am really passionate about. It gave me a chance to see if I could see myself doing this for the rest of my life. Although I decided not to work with elementary school kids in the future, it was through this experience that I decided this.
During my time in high school, there were a few teachers who really made an impact on me. While I had pretty good relationships with most of my teachers, there was only a couple of which I felt comfortable sharing almost anything with. These teachers would listen to me complaining about tests, and would tell me to just relax, that everything would be okay. They would treat me like an equal, instead of a student. I felt comfortable going into their rooms at any point during the day, because I knew that they wouldn’t mind my being there. One of these teachers was actually the school librarian, who was also the advisor to the class of 2013. I would “work” in the library, although with her, it was more fun than work. She listened to everything I had to say for four years. She would not judge what I had to say and she did not belittle me. The other teacher was my history teacher from junior year. This teacher was one of my main influences for becoming a history major. She had such a great way of getting the information across. She was also my mentor for my internship. She gave me great advice for how to act, and how to get all of my work done for the class.
I cannot imagine my high school experience being any different. If it were, I would not be where I am today. I would not want the same things or be the same person. Although high school was difficult at times, it helped me to realize what type of person I wanted to be. I learned how to think for myself. How to put my interests first, before thinking about what other people want from me, and what they expect. I learned that I want to be a teacher. I want to have an impact on students like my teachers had on me. If I did not have the experience I did in high school, I do not know if I would have the same plan for my life. I probably would not be as happy with the person I have become. This is why I value the experience I got out of high school.
Since my freshman year in high school, I had my eye on the future. I was told for years, the importance of doing well in school. During high school, I wanted to do whatever I could so that I could get into the honors and AP classes. I started this right off the bat. Freshman year, I went into a science class, which would last for four years. The way the class worked was that a small number of students would meet with the teacher once every two weeks to discuss their own personal research. Everyone had a different interest. Mine, was the effect of earthquakes on nuclear power plants. I was in this class for two years, before, I learned a very important lesson. I realized, that I did not actually enjoy the class. I had lost my interest in a topic that I picked. I found that, I might not have been interested in the class in the first place. I was interested in the benefits of being in the class. It was then that I decided that from that point forward, I would choose things that I really had an interest in.
I have always been a hard working student. I would put my heart and soul not only into my schoolwork, but also whatever other activities I took part in. During my high school years, I took part in many different extracurricular activities. One club in particular that I was involved in was, student government. This was a club that I was very invested in. I went to almost all of the meetings, and really enjoyed being a part of something. Going into senior year, I decided to run for secretary. This was a great experience for me because it gave me an opportunity to come out of my comfort zone and do something I never thought I would. Another extracurricular activity that really impacted me was an internship I did at the end of my senior year. Although this was technically part of a class that I got credit for, I had to spend a lot of my out of school time working. I got the opportunity to work with a class of second grade students in one of the elementary schools in my district. It was through this experience that I realized that teaching is something I am really passionate about. It gave me a chance to see if I could see myself doing this for the rest of my life. Although I decided not to work with elementary school kids in the future, it was through this experience that I decided this.
During my time in high school, there were a few teachers who really made an impact on me. While I had pretty good relationships with most of my teachers, there was only a couple of which I felt comfortable sharing almost anything with. These teachers would listen to me complaining about tests, and would tell me to just relax, that everything would be okay. They would treat me like an equal, instead of a student. I felt comfortable going into their rooms at any point during the day, because I knew that they wouldn’t mind my being there. One of these teachers was actually the school librarian, who was also the advisor to the class of 2013. I would “work” in the library, although with her, it was more fun than work. She listened to everything I had to say for four years. She would not judge what I had to say and she did not belittle me. The other teacher was my history teacher from junior year. This teacher was one of my main influences for becoming a history major. She had such a great way of getting the information across. She was also my mentor for my internship. She gave me great advice for how to act, and how to get all of my work done for the class.
I cannot imagine my high school experience being any different. If it were, I would not be where I am today. I would not want the same things or be the same person. Although high school was difficult at times, it helped me to realize what type of person I wanted to be. I learned how to think for myself. How to put my interests first, before thinking about what other people want from me, and what they expect. I learned that I want to be a teacher. I want to have an impact on students like my teachers had on me. If I did not have the experience I did in high school, I do not know if I would have the same plan for my life. I probably would not be as happy with the person I have become. This is why I value the experience I got out of high school.